It seems ironic that despite Ville Valo’s new found sobriety that HIM just get better with age. After a few years in the wilderness with patchy albums and messy live show, it’s about time the Love-metallers climbed back to the top of the pile.

The crowd gives a warm welcome to openers Dommin, and leave the stage with a few more fans despite a few sound problems with the bass. The Orange county rockers are tight and Kristofer is a good frontman; strong vocals and interesting to watch. The only downside is you feel like you heard someone else do the songs better. “Tonight” even sounds like a dead ringer for the headliners “Right here in my arms”. But based on tonight, the have the potential to make it big.

HIM have been around for over a decade now, but the crowd give the sort of excited reaction you get a bands first headline show. Opener “Like St. Valentine” maybe be new but it has that special magic that made HIM so great in the first place. and that’s the theme of the whole show. new songs are as well received, and more importantly, actually stand up against the old classics. “Heartkiller” has the ability to go hand in hand with “Your Sweet Six Six Six”, all the while underwear is thrown on stage, Ville the ever charismatic gothic equal to Justin Timberlake, even if he doesn’t have the same dancing skills.

Ville himself is still the main killer weapon, he croons, screams and has the audience in the palm of his hand, while never moving more than an inch from his mic stand.

“Funeral Of Hearts”, Buried Alive By Love”, “When Love & Death Embrace” and the mandatory cover of Chris Isaac’s “Wicked Game” all get a showing, and all the trouble of the last few years has been forgiven and more than forgotten.

There is only one downside to the show, and that is only there isn’t enough time to play all the songs the crowd still want to hear at the end of the night, and with enough to fill another equally strong set, isn’t that the mark of a truly great band?

Neither of these playlists feature HIM, but they set right the mood. Slow, dark, but without boring you to tears. Highlights for Vol. 1 include Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds and Depeche Mode while Vol. 2 has P. J Harvey & Fields Of The Nephilim)